Draft-gear



H. F. WOERNLEY.

DRAFT GEAR.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 25, 191-5.

1 1T 5 m. n %.d 14 W mm hm 1 m M? Z W P H. F. WOERNLEY.

DRAFT GEAR. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 25, I915.

1,343,296. t w n 15, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY F. WOERNLEY, or PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE WEST- INGHOUSE AIR BRAKE COMPANY, or WILMERDING, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORA.

' TION PENNSYLVANIA.

DRAFT-GEAR.

I To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, "HARRY F WOERNLEY, a. citizen of the. United States, and resident of Pittsburgh, county .of Allegheny, and State of 'Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inDraft- Gears, of which the following is a spec1fica-- tion, andwhich are. illustrated in-the accom 'panying drawings, forming a part thereof.

The invention relates to draft gears of the type in which the cushioning effect is principally obtained by the frictional engage-.

ment of alternated plates having relative longitudinal movement. Draft gears of this type are shown in the patent to Cotton and Henderson, No. ,'989,949, of April 18,1911,

and in m co endin a plication for patent on draft 63.12 Seria l $0. 49,225, filed September 7, 1915. The object of the present invention is to provide a draft gear of the said type which shall be of improved construction and increased efficiency, the improvement residing more particularly in the provision ofmeans for insuring full fricin s, wherein,

tional contact between theengaging. surfaces, coupled with freedom of release after compression.

The invention is exemplified in the construction which is hereinafter described and is illustrated in the accompanying drawigure 1 is a detail plan' view of the undenframing of a railway car showing the draft gear principally in central section, but

draft gear, Serial No. 49,225. I

way car are indicated at 10, .10, the draft and buifing lugs being shown at 11, 11 and 12, 12, respectively The coupler butt is shown at 13, and the yoke or tail strap at 14. The draft gear preferably includes a casing 15, the front end wall of which is directly engaged with the coupler butt 13 and with the draft lugs 11, 1 1, while a rear Specification of Letters Patent. -Patnted h 15 1920 Application filed September 25, 1915. Serial No. 52,672.

follower plate 17, engageable with the upright rear end portion 18 of. the yoke-14 and w thlthe buffing lugs 12, 12, is provided, as usua As shown, the rear end 19 of the casing- 15, is open. Within the casing. 15 are con-.

tained two springs 20, 21, apair of spring I followers 22, 23, and two group's 24, 25, of

alternated friction plates 26, 27'. The springs 20, 21, are conveniently located upon the axis of the gear, the spring21 being weaker than the spring 20 and being inclosed'within it. These springs react. be- 4 tween the end wall 16 of the case 15 and the spring followers 22, 23, respectively, the follower 23 moving through a central opening 28 in the follower 22.

. 'The friction plates 26 of each 25, are preferably anchored. against longitudin'al movement with reference to the easing 15. For this purpose, each of the plates friction'plates 27 are longer than the plates 21, and are free to move bot h longitudinally andlaterally. These plates normally proect through the. open-end 15) of the case for engagement with the follower 17. If desired, the plates 26 may be of wedge shape,

their forward ends being the thicker, as in my said pending application for patent on A set of four cooperating wedge blocks 31, 32,33, 34, are located between the two group 24,

groups 24, 25, of frictionv plates. The i wedge blocks ,31 and32 are longitudinally disposed and engage the followers 17 and 22, respectively. The Wedge block 31 isengaged with-the spring follower 23 through the medium of a stem 35 which projects through an opening 36in the wedge block 32.- Thewedge block 32 accordingly eX- tends in front of the follower 23 and is re cessed,'as at 37 (Fig. 5) to clear the same.

The wedge blocks 33 and 34 are transversely disposed, and are located upon opposite sides of the central plane of the wedge blocks 31 and 32. Each of the wedge blocks 33, 34, is slidingly engaged with both of the wedge blocks 31 and 32 and with I the adjacent friction plate 27 of the. corresponding group 24 or 25. A key 38 serves to hold the parts in assembledlrelation when the draft gear mechanism is not applied to the car, as also to retain the springs 20, and 21, under slight tension. This key is shown as being extended vertically through the I case 15 and through an opening 39 in the stem .35 of the wedge block 31. In order that the key 38 may not interfere with the compression of the gear, both the top and bottom walls of the case 15 are recessed in line with the key, as at 40 (Fig. 4).,

In the compression of the gear by draft, the follower 17 moves forwardly, advancing the wedge block 31 against the effort of the spring .21 and thereafter sliding the friction plates 27 forwardly between the plates 26. The forward movement ofthe wedge block 31, tends to advance the wedge blocks 33"and 34, but'this movement is resisted by the spring 20 acting through. the follower 22 and wedge block 32... Outward pressure is accordingly exerted by the wedgeblocks 33, 34 for increasing'the frlctional resistance to the movement of the plates 27 between the plate 26. Ifthe plates 26 are of wedge shape, as shown, the outward pressure exerted by the wedge blocks 33, 34, is augmented, as the parts approach the position of ultimate com ression illustrated in Fig. 3, by reason 0 the -narrowing of the space between the two groups 24, 25, of friction .plates toward their forward ends. Furthermore, the wedge shape of the plates 26 resultsin an inclination of the-plates 27 with reference to the direction of'movement of the follower 17. The pressure exerted by the follower 17 against the plates 27 thereby adds to the force with which each of these plates bears against the next adjacent plate 26. When the gear is compressed by bufiing stresses, the action is the same but is brought about by a movement of the casing 15 toward the follower 17, the latter remaining stationary.

When the pressure upon the gear is re leased,'the spring 21 serves to separate the follower 17 and case 15 but a sudden re-' duction of the outward'pressure upon the two groups 24,25, of friction plates is pre; vented by the accompanying expansion of the spring 20. The wedge blocks 33, 34, are

confined only by their engagement with the friction blocks 31, 32, "andwith the inner friction plates 27 of the two groups 24, 25.

' Each of these wedge blocks is accordingly free to assume'the proper position for making a flat contact with the adjacent friction plate, even though thefriction plates 27 are inclined to the line of draft by reason of the wedge shape of the friction plates 26. A full frictional contact between all of the sliding partsis thereby assured.

1 When the plates 27 are inclined to the line of draft, as shown, the wedge blocks this faces are correspondingly inclined. The set of wedge blocks 31, 32, 33, 34, considered,

together, thereby constitute a wedge with one of its inclined faces presented to the friction plates of each group 24, 25. '-With arrangement the relative forward movement. of the wedge blocks 33, '34, be-

tween the two groups of friction plates '24,

25, causes the wedge blocks 33, 34, to approach each other. This, in turn, effects a separation of the wedge blocks 31, 32,. thereby increasing the forward movement of the I follower 22 and the compression. of the spring 20. However, the wedge. shape of the friction plates 26, the use of wedging means presenting a w'edgefaceto a group of alternating plates, and the combination of a group of alternated plates and wedging means therefor with the contactingfaces of the wedging means and the ad lacent plate inclined to the direction of re ative movement are not claimed broadly inthis application for the reason that such claimsare presented in my said application,

for patent on draft gear, Serial No. 49,225,

filed September 7, 1915.

I claim as my inventiom 1, In a draft gear, in combination, a pair of lndependent spring followeis facing in the same direction and an opposed follower,

a pair of longitudinally disposed oppositely facing wedges, one belng engaged by the said opposed follower and extending to one of the said spring followers and the other being engaged by the remaining springfollower only, a pair 'of opposed transverse.

lateral compression by each "of the said each group being engageable withthe said opposed follower.

2. In a draft gear, ill-combination, a pair of independent spring followers facing in transverse wedges, the plates of one set in the same direction and an opposed follower,

a pair of longitudinally disposed oppositely;

facing 'wed es, one bein enga .d by-the said oppose follower an exten ing to one of the said spring; followers and the other being engaged by the remainingspring fol-. I

lower only, a pair of opposed transverse wedges each cooperating with both of the first mentioned wedges, and a group of alternated .relatively fixed-and longitudinally movable friction plates engaged for lateral compression by each of the said transverse 1 wedges, the plates of one set in each group.

being wedge shaped and the plates of the other set in each group being engageable with the said opposed follower.

3. In a draft vgear, in combination, a group of alternated relatively fixed and longitudinally movable friction plates the plates 'of one set being wedge shaped, a pair of relatively movable oppositely facing longitudinal wedges located at one side of the 5 group of friction plates, a laterally facing wedge slidingly engaging both of the longi-.

tudinal wedges and acting upon the adjacent friction plate and an abutment against which the pair of wedges laterally react.

4. In a draft gear,- in combination, a group of alternated relatively fixed and 1on gitudinally movable friction plates. the

plates of one set being wedge shaped, a pair of relatively movable oppositely facing lon- 1 5 gitudinal wedges located at one side of the group of friction plates, a laterally facing ,I wedge having sliding engagement with both of the longitudinal wedges and with the acl jacent friction plate and an abutment against 20 which the pair of wedges laterally react.

5. In a draft gear, in combination, two groups of alternated relatively fixed and longitudinally movable friction plates the plates of one set in each group being wedge shaped, 'a' pair of relatively movable oppositely facing longitudinal wedges and a pair. of relatively movable oppositely facing transverse wedges located between the two groups of'friction plates, each" of the said transverse wedges being in sliding engage ment with both of the said longitudinal wedges.

' ment with both of the said longitudinal wedges and with the inner'friction'plate of the adjacent group.

7-. In a draft gear, in combination, two groups of alternated relatively fixed and longitudinally movable friction plates, a

an opposed follower facing the two groups of friction plates at the other end, a pair-of longitudinally disposed oppositely facing wedges and a pair of oppositely facing transverse wedges located between the two groups of friction plates, one of said longitudinally'disposed wedges being engaged by the said opposed follower and extending to one of the said spring followers, the other longitudinally disposed wedge being en'- gaged by the remaining spring follower only and each'of the said transverse wedges being in sliding engagement with both of the said longitudinally disposed wedges and with the inner friction plate of the adjacent group,

' the two groups of friction an opposed follower facing the two groups other end, a pair of oppositely facing oppositely facing gitudinally,

the friction plates of'one'set in each of the said groups being iengageable with thesaid opposed follower.

8. In a draftgear, in combination, two

groups of alternated relatively fixed and 7 i longitudinally movable. friction plates, a pair of'indepe'ndent spring followers facing of friction plates at the longitudinally. disposed wedges and a "pair of' plates at one end,

transverse wedges located between the two?!- groups "of friction plates, tudmallydisposed wedges'being engaged by the said opposed follower one of said longiand extending to one of. the said spring followers, the other longitudinally gage'd by the zonly and eachof the said transverse wedges, being in sliding engagement with both of the said-longitudinally disposed wedges and with the inner friction plate of the adjacent group, the friction-plates of one set in eachof the said groups being wedge shaped and the friction plates "of the other set in each of said groups being disposed wedge being en- 9. In a draftf'gear, in combination, a. group of alternated friction plates, adjacent plates having relative longitudinal movement, a ,pa'iitgokiEoppositely facing lonside of the wedge having iding engagement with both of the longitudinally disposed wedges and with the adjacentjyfriction plate, the con-' remaining spring follower V engageable with 1 'the said opposed follower;

,7 I wedges located at one j 'gr'o pl of plates, 'a transverse tacting; faces of the-'Ttransverse wedge and frictionjyplate being oblique to the direction of relative movement-between said parts and an abutment againstwhich the pair of wedges laterally react.

10. In asdraft gear, groups of alternated plates of the two groups being inclined to each other and adjacent plates of each group having relative longitudinal movement, and

in combination, two

movable wedge blocks located two groups of etween the plates, the wedge blocks of one' pair being longitudinally disposed and clined to correspond with the inclination of the group of friction plates with which it is engaged.

11. In a draft gear, in combination, a group of alternated friction plates, adjacent plates having relative longitudinal movement, a pair of oppositely facing longitudifriction plates, the

two pairs of oppositely facin relatively I pan of independent spring followers facing .50 the two groups of friction plates at one vend, I

- the'movement ofone of the said wedges, a

transverse wedge having sliding'engagement with both of the longitudinally diso sed wedges and with the adjacent friction plate, the contacting faces of the transverse wedge and friction plate being oblique to the direction of relative movement between said parts and an abutment against which the pair of wedges laterally react..

12. In adraft gear, 'in combination, two groups of alternated friction plates, the plates of vthe two groups being inclined to each other and adjacent plates of each group having relative longitudinal movement, two cooperating pairs of oppositely facing relatively movable wedge blocks located between the two groups'of plates, the wedge blocks of one pair being longitudinally disposed and the wedge blocks of the other plates ofthe two groups being inclined to each other and adjacent plates of each group having relative longitudinal movement,

relatively mova tween the two groups of plates, the wedge blocks of one pair being longitudinally disposed and the wedge. blocks of the other pair being transversely disposed, and a spring opposing the outward movement of the 1011-7 gitudinally disposed wedge block at that end at which the two groups of friction plates arenearest to each other.v

HARRY F. WOERNLEY! disposed wedge pair being transversely disposed and a.

two cooperating) pairs of oppositely facing le wedge blocks located be 

